Multiplayer Game Reviews

April 4, 2011

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! — A Reckless Disregard for Gravity. Yes, that is the entire title. Judging from the title, one could assume it would have to do with falling. You would be correct. When I first played, I asked myself “Is this really all it is?” It was. On the other hand though, it’s incredibly fun.

The game play is simple enough. You fall, using the controls to either slow you down or speed you up, and fall through plates with numbers on them for points. Then you start adding the fact you get points for being close to objects that if you hit them would cause certain death, stunts, spraying graffiti onto buildings, giving thumbs up to fans, flipping off protesters (you don’t see it, just an action), all this while you’re free falling to the ground. Some levels are fairly open, like the mountains. You just scrap by the edge, getting points for that while hitting the plates, then parachute at the end and try to land in the circle marker. Then you get into levels like the city, with buildings being everywhere and it starts to become more frantic and frankly, more fun. Hurtling 100 mph between the cracks of skyscrapers, hitting point plates and performing a whole bunch of actions is just fun. The better you do the more points you get. The more points you get the more stuff you unlock. There are a lot of levels to play through, with each having point goals, so it’s a game that can keep you busy. It’s also a game you can pick up and play a level or two while waiting on something, so it has the advantage of being easy to pick up and put down but also being something you could play for a while.

The graphics are okay. There’s not a whole lot going on, some things have detail, others are just there. It’s not a big deal though because you’re not sitting there admiring a building going “Man, they spent a lot of time on that.” You’re hurtling downwards trying to avoid becoming a human pancake and getting points, not go “Oooh, shiny!” The music however is a great placement. It has a rock element that just gets your adrenaline going and blood pumping. It really sets the whole free falling atmosphere and constant pressure of slamming into a building.

Overall, it’s a great game. If you’re afraid of heights, moving fast, or get easily excitable through adrenaline (in a bad, unhealthy way), then don’t play it. If you’re not any of those things, look it up. Currently no demo but plenty of game play videos up.

December 10, 2010

I’m glad that after a week of fairly frustrating games I found one that was light hearted, fun, and a pleasure to spend my time on. Nimbus is a game that challenges without frustrating, thrills without annoying, and relaxes you while keeping your mind (and fingers) active.

This game doesn’t really have much by way of story, but it doesn’t try to stretch what little it has to the breaking point. Basically you forget that you’re headed towards a goal in the first place. Still, it’s worth mentioning that the point of the game is to reunite with a loved one.

Another important thing to mention about Nimbus is the art style. It’s nothing flashy, but for some reason it kind of warmed me with it’s simplicity and beauty. In one word the world created by this game is….well, it’s cute. No, it’s hellatiously cute. Which is technically a word and a half since hellatious isn’t really….anyway, you get my point. Whether you’re dodging spiked walls, gathering coins, or racing against the timer, this game is adorable.

Touching quickly again on how adorable this game is, I just want to point out that the music carries the same feel with it. It’s light, carefree, and coupled with sound effects that are spot on and entertaining. The game has a ton of levels and is fairly relaxing.

In Nimbus most of your game play is centered around a little flying machine that doesn’t actually…fly. Instead it more like glides and you use the power of gravity and various items through out the map in order to navigate to the finish line.

I listed this game under “puzzle” as well as “adventure” and “racing” because even though the game is largely about speed and accuracy, which makes it better suited for the later two, it’s also a game about finding out how to get from point A to point B under some rather challenging circumstances.

All in all, I really liked Nimbus. It’s one of those games that you can tell is going to be fun for the whole family without being cheesy. The art is beautiful, the audio is uplifting, and the world you sink into is warm and inviting.

September 25, 2010

I reviewed Duck Life a while back. Go ahead and read it. Please. Now what do you think the sequel will be like? Right. It sucks. This game basically is a way of wasting your time. Again you have a duckling that you want to train for duckling races. If you win the title you get a crown and a bunch of super secret stuff.

To train for the races you have to upgrade your guy by completing training levels of running, swimming, flying and climbing. The climbing is a new addition. Then you race your guy. The races are on autopilot, which means you just sit back and watch your guy hop around.

This game takes so little skill it is not even funny. I don’t usually like to go off on rants or talk bad about a game, but I will explain point by point why this is a bad game.

See those locks at the bottom? You can unlock them if you beat the game!!!!!111 Hooray!

First is the training. There is virtually no evolution to them. In most other games, you have to beat a level to get exp. Yes, in most you can fail the levels, but you still get a modicum of exp, but the real money comes when you beat it. In this one there is absolutely no incentive to get any more skilled. When you die, you can press spacebar twice and still keep earning exp.

Second is the races. You are on autopilot. Compare this to other ‘gain coins and exp and upgrade games’. Yes, you get significant benefits from upgrading your guy. However, it is meaningful because it helps you perform better. Consider the last level of DF2. Obviously the reason you win is because all your levels are at 150 and the computers are at 149. Is this how a game should be played? No. The upgrades should work with your own development of skill.

On top of this, once you get to the upper levels of training, there are tons of glitches. The climbing game is completely full of bugs, and the running training is simply unplayable. Flying is still sweet and the only limit to swimming is your endurance.

I could be fighting the wrong battle, as this is obviously a children’s game. However we can still have standards. I was thinking that I would offer some suggestions for the next iteration of “Duck Life” but really I feel like the best thing, for everyone, would be to give up the franchise and start over with a game that pits skill versus the electric genius of the computer.

September 24, 2010

In Exit Path, you must help a poor little stick figure who has found himself a competitor in a game of life and death. You begin in an arena filled with spectators, cheering for your demise as you navigate through a series of deadly traps. If you can escape from this arena, you are allowed to go free again. However, freedom looks a lot like the inside of the arena. To be safe, you must escape the entire city, which is rigged with even deadlier traps than the ones you’ve just escaped from.

Throughout the entire story, there is a timer counting, which will let you know how long you’ve taken. When you die, there is a rewind animation that leaves a trail showing what you just did (in reverse, of course). However, the timer keeps ticking even during the rewind, so you’ll want to keep deaths to a minimum in order to keep your time low.

So many traps; so many horrible deaths to die...

The story mode (or Uniplayer mode) is really cool, but the Multiplayer mode is where this game really shines. You are pitted against up to four other players in a quick race through a series of traps. (I strongly suggest playing the Uniplayer mode first, since many of the traps appear in both Uniplayer and Multiplayer.) You can gain experience points by completing races, allowing you to level up. Between races, there is a leaderboard where your current level is displayed to your fellow players, as is the number of races you’ve won. Also displayed is the amount of kudos you’ve gained. Kudos are an arbitrary currency given out by other players for whatever reason. They don’t really do anything for you except make you look well-loved. Or feel good about yourself. But there’s nothing wrong with that, is there?

The visual style in this game is mostly clean and simple, though there are areas with some real gritty details (like the graffiti plastered over the signs.) It gives the game a futuristic, almost science fiction vibe, and I love that. And since the backgrounds are mostly black, white, and gray; the colorful characters stand out very well, making it a lot easier to locate your tiny little avatar on the screen. You can change the colors of your avatar, and through the course of the game you can earn bonuses (like hats, swords, guitars, etc.) to show off a little personality.

Exit Path is a great Multiplayer racer, with a very solid Uniplayer experience built in. The quest to continue gaining levels and racking up wins and kudos will keep you playing this one for quite some time.

August 29, 2010

Motorush FMX is one of the better stunt based bike games you will find to play on the internet.

The format and point of the game is very simple and although the controls are a little tricky, it’s an extremely addictive game to play once you’ve mastered a few levels. This game plays to your inner child and allows you to live a virtual life on the edge.

The controls of the game can be quite challenging at first but you’ll be pulling off a variety of tricks once you’ve mastered them. The keyboard arrows control the movement of the bike while the numbers allow you to perform different tricks.

Perform tricks in mid-air

You have to build up your speed before flying forwards and up and over various obstacles. However, be careful because if you go too quickly too early your bike will fly over and you will end up sitting on your backside.

The graphics for the game are very simple and the two dimensional aspect means the game engine can work very quickly. The terrain is very simple as are the backgrounds but the developers have been clever in the respect that you focus on the foreground and virtually ignore these aspects.

There are many control friendly user options, which allow you to enjoy the game more. These come in standard form such as turning the sound off as well as more personal options such as allowing you to choose the color of your own bike.

Staying on the bike usually helps

The early levels are pretty simple but this is a good thing because you may struggle initially to get through them. You get to learn the controls while tackling simple obstructions such as a few logs or a truck.

Once you get through these the terrain starts to get more difficult and the obstacles are even harder to get over. However, once you master them you start to wrack up the points, which will bump you up the leader board.

Unfortunately there is no auto save option, which is standard on many internet based games. Therefore you have to blitz the game and do as much as you can do initially, because if you want to play it again, you’ll have to go right back to the beginning and start again.

August 24, 2010

If you believe it’s impossible to make a game that is both incredibly addictive and so simple that it can be played using only a single button, then Epic Coaster is about to prove you wrong. Yes, you read that right, this game is 100% controlled by pushing one button. The spacebar. Press it to make a speeding roller coaster hop into the air. Now, I know that may not sound very cool, but I think you have to play this one to believe it.

Epic Coaster is a simple little thrill-ride that takes a good deal of skill and timing. You must hop the coaster over the gaps in the tracks to keep the thing moving and the passengers breathing. Your score will keep climbing as long as you keep the coaster moving. Once you crash, the game is over and you are shown your score. On top of time and distance you can score bonuses that are instantly added to your score. These are earned by scaring away birds, getting narrowly missed by low-flying airplanes, causing the tracks to sparkle, and a few other completely random ways. My personal favorite way to rack up points is the “perfect jump” bonus. In order to score this one, you must make your coaster land perfectly on the next set of track so that just the first car hits it. This can be pretty difficult sometimes, because the difference between a perfect jump and a horrible free-falling death is so tiny. If you miss the timing by a hair, you’ll send the coaster (and all its passengers) crashing into the pavement below.

Look at that jump! That is why the word "Epic" is in the title of this game.

In addition to the bonuses, players can unlock 80 different achievements. The more achievements you unlock, the higher your base score multiplier gets. So if you want to be a top scorer, you’ll need to unlock as many of these as you can.

You can view the achievement list between runs, but it doesn’t tell you how to earn them until they’re complete. But don’t worry, some of them are pretty obvious. And in case you need some hints, here are a few: earn “Stop It” by scaring away 50 birds, “Full Force” by jumping with maximum power, and “12345″ by landing 5 “perfect jumps” in a row.

If you log onto Armour Games, you can record your best score and compare it with others out there. You can also share your score on Facebook or Twitter and challenge your friends to do better.

Epic Coaster is an extremely simple game that will keep you hooked for much longer than you’d ever expect. So hop on and challenge your friends to a coaster duel right away!

August 4, 2010

Part of creating a quality flash game is breaking barriers, to borrow a phrase, to boldly go where no one has gone before. Potty Racer is one of those games. Erring on the scatological, this is by no means a game that should be taken lightly. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to fly and upgrade a port-a-potty.

Gameplay

One area that Potty Racers 2 does not break barriers is in the actual gameplay. This is one of those push your cart off a hill and then try to land safely games. Then you earn money based off of how high and how far you go. It’s better than some, because you actually have to do things in the air and motor control is the better part of it.

You also have to be aware of your landing gear, because you have to land. However, it literally doesn’t matter how fast you are moving. I was moving down so fast that the clouds were a blur, but because my wheels lined up with the ground, I made it out to fly another day.

Technical

Hooray for safe landings!

Technically, this was a pretty great game. The graphics were neat. The whole concept is pretty great. Unfortunately, the whole thing gets pretty repeditive. Although you move from stage to stage, you literally are buying the same upgrades, just a little bit faster.

On top of that, you can buy tricks, but I never really understood why you would want to use them. Sure you get points, but in the grand scheme of the game, they are worth a pittance compared to how much you earn from playing the game as is.

Final Verdict

Fun game. It has a lot of simple touches. For example there is always feces flying out of the back of your portapotty. Also, when you are upgrading it, even after you have made a jet fighter, you are very clearly still pushing a porta potty down a hill.

It’s in stages, which means that it is easy, but addicting to play at work.

July 26, 2010

Red Driver 2 is the perfect game for, well, anyone who may want to just drive like a complete and utter idiot.

High paced action and excitement are two guarantees with this little racer. The graphics have been kept very simple to keep the pace of the game high, as there is less for the server to load. However, the game would benefit a little more if there were some extra tracks and bendy racecourses to take on.

Try not to wreck your own car

Controls are very easy. All you do is move the car left or right with your side arrows, use the down arrow to break and the up arrow for your nitro boost. Also bare in mind that your nitro boost will get you more points if you use it correctly.

The career mode is actually very enjoyable and has the auto save function. This way you don’t have to try and be king of the road all in one sitting.It’s very addictive and you’ll want to go back and play it at a later date. It also means if you are quick enough, you can close the browser window and load the game back up without losing any points. That does kind of defeat the object a little bit though.

Dodge, dodge and dodge some more

The only real drawback though is the music. It’s not good enough for this sort of game and well worth a heavy guitar rift or two along the way.

That’s pretty much all there is to it. Just driving fast, like an idiot, and getting paid for not wrecking your own car or killing anyone else.

June 9, 2010

Moto Rush 2 is a fun little high paced racing game. It combines the skill needed to do well at a conventional two-dimensioned racer with the pace and excitement of something a little madder.

The aim of the game is very simple. All you have to do is race from one end of a stage to the other before your opponents. However, this is much more difficult than it sounds because there are a variety of different obstructions along each stage designed to make your life more difficult.

Hurdle over huge obstructions!

You also have to keep a good look out for all of the bonuses that you must collect in order to build up your nitro boost. You can use this boost to blast by your opponents and reach the finish line a mile before they do.

The controls of the game are simple enough, just to use the arrows on your keyboard to move. This may sound easy but you have to combine your speed and breaking with the terrain on screen otherwise you’ll end up falling off and going back to the start more than once.

The music keeps everything moving along nicely. The heavy guitar riffs illustrate the game well and the chugging will keep you fighting against your opponents until you have either finished the game, been told off by the boss, or bored yourself silly.

Perform tricks in mid-air!

If this game had three dimensions, it would be fantastic. The two-dimensional view you get does not allow you to predict and account for what is coming directly towards you. This can be very irritating, especially if you have built up a huge lead over the other people you are racing against.

Don’t forget to perform your tricks either. This is where the game excels. There are often points when you end up soaring through the air like an eagle. These are the points where you get to bash the space bar and watch your little character perform a tiny tiger or other biking trick.

Timing is everything in this game and it does take a while to get the hang of. However, once you have got the hang of this, it’s very easy to find yourself trapped in the game while all else takes a back seat for a good twenty minutes or so.

May 27, 2010

I almost never play racing games. For one, they usually make me extremely dizzy. Too many turns and not enough motion control. Not to mention the high speeds and the fact that oftentimes you can run a great race, stay in first for the first two laps, and then mess up once and finish in last.

Now, I wasn’t really expecting much else from the Spogg.com version of racing games, but even as a person who sorely hates racing games I could appreciate the ingenuity that the game presents. Not only was it a new kind of race but it was less annoying that I expected.

Alright, now, first and foremost, Aerony is a game where you have a certain amount of laps around a track to complete. There are checkpoints at certain spots on each track and you have to hit them in order to get credit for the lap. Let me repeat that. YOU HAVE TO HIT ALL OF THE CHECK POINTS.

In addition to the regular racing aspect of the game and the check points there are also a number of power ups to help you in your race. There are speed ups and downs, that make you go faster and slower (don’t discount going slow, on a track where hitting spiked walls will cost you precious seconds sometimes it’s better to go slow than to attempt to barrel through). There are also swaps that swap the keys that control your car. I’m not sure how this one is used to your benefit but what the hey, someone probably loves it. In addition there is a shield which makes you invulnerable for a while and shock that disables a ship.

All in all, Aerony is a new kind of racing game that I’m sure will interest you if you like that kind of a challenge. Those of who are easily hit by boughs of motion sickness probably won’t be getting much out of it with the bumper cars type walls and the gliding motion of the cars (which are actually aircraft) but still I’d give it a look see if you’re somewhere in between those two. With the high speeds the controls might be a little difficult to manage at first, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it I imagine it’ll be that much more of a challenge to compete with others in your caliber.

May 7, 2010

If you like racing games where all you have to do is drive insanely quickly then Highway Madness is the perfect game for you.

This game combines high paced action with some basic graphics and controls, which make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. The format and point of the game are equally simple.

All you have to do is drive along as quickly as you can, picking up bonuses along the way. These bonuses will give you extra cash, mechanical help and speed boosts. Wait until the bar on the left of the screen is full and then use your boost, which will help you fly past other vehicles.

Mix your driving styles for the best results

The controls are simple. You just have to control the car with the keyboard arrows, using the space bar as a heavy brake and the z key for your speed boosts. It is not at all difficult to get the hang of once you have played the game for a few minutes.

There are two things which hold this game back quite a bit. The first is the annoying trance soundtrack, which covers the game and the title menus. It’s annoying and it’s a bit confusing why the developers thought it was a good idea.

Secondly, the two-dimensional graphics mean you cannot see what is in front of you. Once you hit the speed boost button you fly forward so quickly, you have zero chance of being able to dodge traffic and save damage to the car.

Watch that damage meter!

Ultimately this game is well worth a try because once you get good at it, it can be a long time before your car is destroyed and you have to go back to the garage for a re-think and some repairs.

There are many other in-depth racing games out there, which combine a storyline with having to work your way through a race and earn bonuses. This game isn’t trying to be that. It’s clearly designed for someone who may be a bit bored at work or school and wants to be a rebel for five minutes by driving in a way which would end up putting you in jail.

Highway Madness is a solid attempt at an indie racing game, but there are many other better versions currently on the internet. That’s not to say it isn’t pretty good fun.

May 6, 2010

I won’t lie to you guys. I didn’t enjoy Metal Drift. The movement of the game is a lot like running on ice. You may push forward as hard as you might but chances are still pretty darn good that you’re going to end up with a sharp curve to the left. The sounds and effects of Metal Drift are comprised either of the sick crunching noises of me getting my butt kicked or the equally humiliating voice of the announcer reminding me just how far behind in the points I am. I only managed to get through about one round of this game before I had to call it quits. Still, I figured I owed you guys a well rounded review so I asked my husband to tackle the challenge for a bit and I’m glad I did.

A game shouldn’t get a bad rap just because the player that attempts to review it is kind of lame so I watched him. As I mentioned before I had a really tough time steering and just “going” in order to chase down and kill my opposing hovercrafts. My husband took all of three minutes to not only have a firm grasp of the controls but he managed to kill two opponents in the same time as it took me how to figure moving. So, point for him even if he made it look like child’s play while I struggled aimlessly. Secondly, it wasn’t until I was watching my husband obliterate everyone else that I realized this game is actually meant to glide. Thus, I am assuming, the name Metal Drift.

Though the fast paced movement and the gliding made me a little nauseous I will admit that the graphics in Metal Drift are beautiful and seamless. Those crunching noises I mentioned before are realistic and the bass was so powerful it made my dogs bark downstairs. Apparently the mechanics of the game aren’t too hard for someone of his considerable experience but for me it was too much at once. Still, it was a nice game to watch and after a few minutes of coaching I believe my husband could get me (and my considerable bloodlust) going in the right direction of total annihilation.

All that being said, I’m going to rate this game based on my experiences after my husband helped me out. It’s a good, solid game and even though it may not be for someone who games like I do (i.e. puzzle and casual games) it’s still worth a try no matter what level of experience you have under your belt.

May 3, 2010

Disc Pool is a game which offers a unique and contemporary twist on a sport that has been around for decades.

The theory is exactly the same as playing Pool or snooker, the format is just slightly different. Pot your own green or red discs using the golden discs. Pot more than your opponent to win the game and score a digit against your name.

What’s more, is this is a very entertaining multiplayer game. You can create an account for free and play against opponents all over the world. You can even just sign in as a guest and play against the computer or other guests that happen to be online at the same time.

Pot all of your pieces before your opponent

The makers of the game clearly went for some basic graphics. This let them spend more time on improving the speed and efficiency of the multiplayer action and the goods are there for all to see.

The controls are very simple. All you have to do is use your mouse to drag the golden disc to your own base line. You then click and hold down, move the mouse to line up your shot and set power, then release to send the disc flying off.

Do your best not to pot any of your opponent’s pieces because this automatically gives them control of the board in the same way that they would get if you were playing a normal game of pool or snooker.

The game takes no time at all to load. This means if you are having a long day at work or trying to put something off, you can quickly log on and have your own marathon game with someone sitting on a computer on the other side of the world.

Judge direction and power with your mouse

The only disappointing aspect of this game is that the title and build up screens promise a lot more than the game actually is. You may expect some three-dimensional graphics and maybe interactive playrooms, but these simply don’t appear.

All in all, disc pool is a solid internet game. You may not have to wait too long until disc tables start being built by established manufacturers and air hockey goes off on a dramatic tangent, which either ends up as a hit or doesn’t. The game is worth it for the multiplayer functions alone.

May 2, 2010

Smashing Toys is a racing game. You would think that after having played so many racing games they’re all pretty much the same but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Most of the innovation from Smashing Toys comes from the fact that you are indeed playing as a toy. During races and game play your toy will take damage and begin to fall apart. In addition to this inconvenience there is also the fact that while you race you gain points from damaging other cars and performing tricks. These points are absolutely essential for winning. So, basically you can run a great race, cross the finish line first: you may fumble quite a bit trying to catch up, and still lose based on the fact that all you did was race and didn’t gather any points.

The music in Smashing Toys wasn’t too distracting. It’s also not all that thrilling. After about ten minutes I actually just turned my music off, feeling it wasn’t all that important to the game itself. The graphics in Smashing Toys were pleasing but once again not the most important aspect to the game. I feel as if it was a pleasing bonus to the interesting game play.

Really the only complaint I had about Smashing Toys was the loading time. Maybe it was because of my computer, though I wasn’t really running anything strenuous, it took the game forever to start up and load each new level. Not only that but I had a real difficult time my first play through every new unlock level. The game lagged a great deal and I ended up having to load each level up, log out, and then start it up, playing it through then. It was a pain in the patella but overall the game was still enjoyable and like I said it may have been my computer.

All in all, the game is very pretty and enjoyable. Still, the real reason to play it would be the point system. In the game there is also a certain amount of attack objects and spells to keep your car from falling apart while yours stays together. I was really pleased by this new destruction feature and I hope to see it in racing games to come.

April 30, 2010

If Mario Cart and Twisted Metal had a baby I think it would come out something like Zero Gear. This is a cart game that incorporates racing, battle, mini games, and speed until your mind is filled with images of tornados, neon green carts racing by you, and of course the always fun mindless rage that comes with getting hit with the wrong thing and going from first to last in thirty stomach bottoming seconds.

This may be kind of a stupid thing to particularly like but my favorite thing about Zero Gear has got to be the fact that you can pretty much do absolutely anything you want to your cart and character. If you can think it up there is a customization option that fits pretty darn close to your mental vision. That option really was a bit of the cherry on top, the last bit of wow that I needed to go from liking this game to loving it. Maybe it’s a little unnecessary but pfft, it doesn’t take much to please me, really.

Anyway, the music and art style in Zero Gear was just as nice as everything else about it. The music was upbeat and heart pumping while the artwork was amusing and fun. I don’t know why but the fact that it was only slightly more cartoonish than I’m used to really made me giggle. I suppose it’s because I watched too much Popeye the Sailor Man when I was a kid. I loved watching Bruno get the paste pounded out of him (which probably attributed to the bloodlust I now suffer from, but no matter).

The only thing that I didn’t like about Zero Gear is that it’s a multiplayer game. If there’s a way to play it solo I must have missed it because you guys know I like to play by myself. Still, it wasn’t so bad having to wait for people to play too and I think that maybe some of them were bots (I can never tell unless they’re named something awfully obvious) so all in all it worked out for the best.

I don’t know who I would specifically recommend this game to. It seems like kind of a cop out to say I would recommend it to “anyone” but really I would. I had a great time and I feel like it’s the kind of game that anyone can play and enjoy. So get out there and have some fun!